


Here Today

by KosmicPoptarts



Category: IT (Movies - Muschietti), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Here Today, How Do I Tag, M/M, Not A Fix-It, Sad, Sad Ending, Sad Richie Tozier, Songfic, Spoilers, big sad, just an idea thats been festering in my head for a while, no fix-it here boys, yes i made myself cry, yes its an incredibly sad song about john lennon, yes this is a song fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-01
Updated: 2020-12-01
Packaged: 2021-03-10 01:36:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,374
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27816196
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KosmicPoptarts/pseuds/KosmicPoptarts
Summary: "One evening, Eddie found himself in Richie’s bedroom, spending the night. It had been a year since they had fought IT but the fear and anger was still there, not to mention his mother had only gotten worse with age. She forbade Eddie from seeing “that no-good Tozier boy”, and Eddie had had to go through a long process of convincing her he was spending the night at Bill’s house to do homework, getting Bill to convince his parents to lie to his mother when she called, and finally getting to Richie’s house after his mother had dropped him off and sat outside in her car for an hour to make sure nothing fishy was going on. This was almost a weekly process, and it was obviously taking a toll on Eddie."I recommend listening to "Here Today" by Paul McCartney as you read this. Here's a link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FKPSv8VxFgI cried writing this, so beware.Everything in 'marks' is lyrics.BTW there is an actual quote from the book in there.
Relationships: Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier
Kudos: 2





	Here Today

'And if I say, I really knew you well what would your answer be? If you were here today?'

Dinner that night had been exciting and stressful all at once. The fact that the clown had come back plus the fact that they had all forgotten each other in the last 27 years was a lot to take in. Not only that, but seeing everyone again, especially Eddie, had really done a number on Richie’s heart. The Losers were the closest friends Richie had ever had, and he had just forgotten them like they were nothing. Well, now that they were back together, Richie was also reminded of some long forgotten feelings he harbored for his best friend, and it genuinely hurt him to find out that Eddie had gone and gotten married, although, from what it sounded like, it wasn’t a loving marriage in the slightest. Being with Eddie again had Richie the happiest he’d been in a long time. And he could tell Eddie was much happier around him and the other Losers than he was working his boring-ass job with his bitch of a wife.

'Knowing you, you’d probably laugh and say that we were worlds apart, if you were here today.'

Seeing the wound in Eddie’s cheek sparked a pang of white hot fury in Richie’s chest. Bowers had no right to still be alive at this point. Hearing that Eddie had managed to insult Bowers after stabbing him had calmed his nerves mostly, though the anger was still there. Richie tried to not fuss over his Eddie-Spaghetti, or at least not make it obvious, but when the love of your life is hurt, it’s hard not to helicopter over them. And if Eddie noticed, he didn’t acknowledge it. Perhaps he was just used to it from his mother and his wife. Richie didn’t want to be another person who fussed over him, but he cared too much not to.

“Does it still hurt, Eds? Do you need a new gauze? That one looks pretty bloody. Do you need a wet towel?” Richie had caught himself rambling, much to Eddie’s amusement. Eddie just smirked, brushing away the worried comedian in front of him.

“I didn’t realize my mom was in town.” Eddie said half-heartedly. Richie paused for a moment, seeing exactly what Eddie was doing. Richie gave him a half grin. 

“Really? Did I forget to mention that she visited me last night for some good ‘ol reunion sex?” Richie said cheekily, knowing Eddie had set him up for that on purpose. Eddie just chuckled, sparing a glance at Richie before turning back to the group.

'But as for me, I still remember how it was before. And I am holding back the tears no more.'

Joking around with Eddie as they worked out a plan was giving Richie some serious nostalgia whiplash. He remembered their childhoods like it was yesterday. All the angry cries of “Don’t call me ‘Eds’, you know I hate that!”, and the constant bickering they had had really reminded Richie of why he loved Eddie so much. Some things never change, he supposed.

'I love you.'

'What about the time we met? Well I suppose you could say that we were playing hard to get.'

Kindergarten was a strange time in everyone’s lives. Children were going to school for the first time, and making some soon to be life-long friends. Richie had been near blind for the first half of his school year. His awful vision hadn’t been picked up on yet by his parents, but fortunately for him, he had bumped into a worry-wart boy early on. Richie had scuffed his knee from his tumble and the boy had patched him up with a band aid he kept in his fanny pack. Richie had made a joke about it, causing the boy to scoff, but Richie had also said thank you. They parted ways, but many more falls came for Richie, and the boy, who he learned was named Eddie, was always there, telling him he should watch where he was going. Eventually, it occurred to Eddie that maybe Richie couldn’t see properly, that's why he kept bumping into things. From that moment on, Eddie made it his goal to guide Richie around to make sure he didn’t bump into anything or anyone any more. Richie of course had made jokes, but he was clearly thankful for his “Seeing-eye-Eds”. 

'Didn’t understand a thing, but we could always sing.'

'What about the night we cried? Because there wasn’t any reason left to keep it all inside.'

One evening, Eddie found himself in Richie’s bedroom, spending the night. It had been a year since they had fought IT but the fear and anger was still there, not to mention his mother had only gotten worse with age. She forbade Eddie from seeing “that no-good Tozier boy”, and Eddie had had to go through a long process of convincing her he was spending the night at Bill’s house to do homework, getting Bill to convince his parents to lie to his mother when she called, and finally getting to Richie’s house after his mother had dropped him off and sat outside in her car for an hour to make sure nothing fishy was going on. This was almost a weekly process, and it was obviously taking a toll on Eddie. He and Richie sat in a borderline uncomfortable silence, Richie playing on his Gameboy, and Eddie listening to a tape Richie had put together for him on Richie’s Walkman. Before Eddie knew what was happening, his body was shaking with sobs, catching Richie’s attention. He immediately put his Gameboy down and pulled the headphones off Eddie’s head, asking if he was alright. Eddie just fell onto Richie’s chest, hugging him tightly, still quietly sobbing. Richie didn’t hesitate to hug back, completely and utterly worried sick about his Eds. Soon enough, Richie felt himself begin to cry as well. The two wordlessly poured their hearts out, until slowly but surely, Eddie’s sobs had quieted down and a faint snore could be heard from his place on Richie’s chest. Richie didn’t even bother to wipe his own tears before he pulled Eddie close and laid them both down. 

'Never understood a word, but you were always there, with a smile.'

Richie fondly remembered how, despite every insult, despite every “your mom” joke, despite all the bickering, Eddie always left him with a smile on his face. That’s all he ever wanted, was to make him smile. Even now, as Eddie lay, dying in Richie’s arms, he smiled up at him. 

“Don’t call me Eds,” he said, and smiled. He raised his left hand slowly and touched Richie’s cheek. Richie was crying. “You know I… I…” Eddie closed his eyes, thinking how to finish, and while he was still thinking it over he died.

'And if I said, I really loved you and was glad you came along,' 

Richie screamed out for Eddie as he was dragged away by Ben, Bev, Bill and Mike. He reached out helplessly to where Eddie’s body laid, the ghost of a smile still on his face. Richie kicked and squirmed in his friend's arms. It was no use, even as they arrived back on the surface and Richie cried out some more, he felt his heart shatter even more as the Neibolt collapsed in on itself. He had never had the chance to tell Eddie.

'And you were here today, for you were in my song.' 

Richie broken-heartedly smiled down at the freshly recarved initials on the kissing bridge. The tears welled up in his eyes as Bev came over and wrapped an arm around his shoulder.

“He knew well enough.” She said sadly. Richie just nodded, not allowing himself to breakdown here.

'Here today.'

It was funny, during their massive hug in the quarry, Richie could’ve swore he felt an extra hug against his chest. Perhaps his mind was just not all there, and he was just feeling an imaginary hug. Still, as the others dispersed, Richie let out a shaky sigh and he looked down at the broken glasses in his palm, feeling the tears brimming his eyes once more. 

“Thanks Eds.”


End file.
